The Spectrum of IDH- and H3-Wildtype High-Grade Glioma Subgroups Occurring across Teenage and Young Adult Patient Populations.

Purpose: High-grade gliomas (HGG) occur in any central nervous system location and at any age. HGGs in teenagers/young adults (TYA) are understudied. This project aimed to characterize these tumors to support accurate stratification of patients.

Spinal rhabdomyosarcoma in a child at the site of a lumbosacral lipoma: a rare entity.

Malignant tumours arising at the site of closed neural tube defects are extremely rare and have only been described three times in the literature. We report the case of a child with a congenital lumbosacral lipoma, a dermal sinus tract and low-lying spinal cord who was initially treated non-operatively due in part to non-attendance and who then presented at 2 years of age with recurrent urinary tract infections with intermittent pyrexia, back pain and difficulty walking. A craniospinal MRI was performed with suspicion of infection at the site of the closed neural tube defect (in view of the dermal sinus tract) and leptomeningeal spread to the rest of the spine and brain.

A Simple Modification of the Endoscopic Ultrasonic Aspirator to Allow Increased Versatility and Use Down Multiple Endoscopes in the Largest Reported Case Series.

Background And Objectives: Despite growing interest in neuroendoscopy, endoscopic resection of intraventricular and paraventricular brain tumors is still hindered by a lack of appropriate instrumentation. The Söring ultrasonic aspirator holds significant promise but is limited because of its original design allowing sole use with the GAAB® endoscope.

Methods: A simple modification of the ultrasonic aspirator which allows use down multiple endoscopes is described along with surgical outcomes in the context of the largest reported case series of 58 procedures in 52 patients, thus further expanding its applications and versatility.

Diffusion changes in minimally invasive parafascicular approach for deep-seated tumours: impact on clinical outcomes.

Minimally invasive parafascicular surgery (MIPS) with the use of tubular retractors achieve a safe resection in deep seated tumours. Diffusion changes noted on postoperative imaging; the significance and clinical correlation of this remains poorly understood. Single centre retrospective cohort study of neuro-oncology patients undergoing MIPS.

An exceptionally rare case of a diffuse midline glioma with concomitant H3.1 K27M and G34R mutations in the HIST1H3C (H3C3) gene.

Histone mutations (H3 K27M, H3 G34R/V) are molecular features defining subtypes of paediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas (HGG) (diffuse midline glioma (DMG), H3 K27-altered, diffuse hemispheric glioma (DHG), H3 G34-mutant). The WHO classification recognises in exceptional cases, these mutations co-occur. We report one such case of a 2-year-old female presenting with neurological symptoms; MRI imaging identified a brainstem lesion which was biopsied.

Bayesian networks for Risk Assessment and postoperative deficit prediction in intraoperative neurophysiology for brain surgery.

Purpose: To this day there is no consensus regarding evidence of usefulness of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM). Randomized controlled trials have not been performed in the past mainly because of difficulties in recruitment control subjects. In this study, we propose the use of Bayesian Networks to assess evidence in IONM.

Management of cervical CSF-venous fistula causing acute cognitive impairment and coma.

CSF-venous fistulas (CVFs) are increasingly recognised as a cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. They may present atypically including with brain sagging pseudo-dementia. Cervical CVFs are rare and their management can be difficult due to associated eloquent nerve roots.

Impact of Preoperative Mapping and Intraoperative Neuromonitoring in Minimally Invasive Parafascicular Surgery for Deep-Seated Lesions.

Background: Transsulcal tubular retractor-assisted minimally invasive parafascicular surgery changes the surgical strategy for deep-seated lesions by promoting a deficit-sparing approach. When integrated with preoperative brain mapping and intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM), this approach may potentially improve patient outcomes. In this study, we assessed the impact of preoperative brain mapping and IONM in tubular retractor-assisted neuro-oncological surgery.

Ventriculosubgaleal shunts in the management of neonatal post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus: technical note.

Introduction: Germinal matrix / intraventricular haemorrhage (GMIVH) remains a significant complication of prematurity. The more severe grades are associated with parenchymal haemorrhagic infarction (PHI) and hydrocephalus. A temporising procedure is usually the first line in management of neonatal post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus (nPHH) as the risk of failure of a permanent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion is higher in the early stage.

Spontaneous lumbar intraspinal subdural abscess: a case report.

Background: Subdural spinous abscess is a rare pathology that carries significant morbidity if not diagnosed and treated early; of the cases reported in the literature, very few are genuinely spontaneous in nature.

Case Presentation: Here we demonstrate the case of an otherwise entirely fit and well 56-year-old White, British female presenting with low back pain, bilateral sciatica and sensate urinary retention; lumbar subdural spinous abscess was diagnosed on urgent magnetic resonance imaging and the patient was successfully managed with surgical evacuation and prolonged antibiotic therapy. The patient made a full neurological recovery and was followed-up in the outpatient setting 12 weeks following her initial surgery; she was pain free with normal inflammatory markers and a normal neurological examination.

H3 G34-mutant high-grade gliomas: integrated clinical, imaging and pathological characterisation of a single-centre case series.

Background: Diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant, is a novel paediatric tumour type in the fifth edition of the WHO classification of CNS tumours associated with an invariably poor outcome. We present a comprehensive clinical, imaging and pathological review of this entity.

Methods: Patients with confirmed H3 G34R-mutant high-grade glioma were included in a single-centre retrospective cohort study and examined for clinical, radiological and histo-molecular data.

Obstructive hydrocephalus due to an enlarged massa intermedia treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

The massa intermedia (MI) or interthalamic adhesion (ITA) is a band of tissue connecting the medial surfaces of the thalami and is present in the majority of healthy individuals. Its enlargement as well as its absence have been associated with some pathological states.We describe the first case report of a 3-year-old child presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus in the context of an enlarged massa intermedia.

Prognostic factors and surgical outcomes of spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma (SSEH) is a rare disease defined as blood accumulation within the vertebral epidural space without a cause identified, which can lead to severe neurological deficits. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the prognostic factors affecting surgical outcomes in true SSEH and propose a critical time frame for operative management. A systematic literature search was performed and registered, using OVID Medline and EMBASE, in line with the PRISMA guidelines.

Therapeutic Strategies and Challenges in the Management of Craniospinal Tumors in Pregnancy: A Ten-Year Retrospective Tertiary-Center Study, Systematic Review, and Proposal of Treatment Algorithms.

Objective: This study aims to review therapeutic strategies in the management of craniospinal tumors in pregnant patients and the factors that may influence the management along with their influence on maternal and fetal outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective single-center cohort study was performed at a tertiary neurosurgical referral center. Pregnant patients referred to the neuro-oncology multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) with craniospinal tumor were included.

Continuous Microdebrider-Based Dynamic Subcortical Motor Mapping: A Technical Advance in Tubular Retractor-Assisted Surgery.

Background: Transsulcal minimally invasive parafasicular (TsMIP) approaches to brain tumor resection use tubular retractors to minimize iatrogenic brain injury. Dynamic cortical and subcortical continuous neurophysiological mapping facilitates safer resection of motor-eloquent tumors.

Objective: To describe a new technique to address the challenge of combining TsMIP with tubular retractors and dynamic subcortical mapping using a single electrified stimulating microdebrider instrument.

Infected cephalhaematoma causing osteomyelitis: case report and literature review.

Infected cephalhaematomas are rare and can lead to complications such as sepsis, meningitis and osteomyelitis. We present an infected cephalhaematoma in a neonate with resultant underlying osteomyelitis and a review of the literature. Our patient presented 6 days following birth with a fever and a swelling consistent with cephalhaematoma.

Neurosurgery and coronavirus: impact and challenges-lessons learnt from the first wave of a global pandemic.

Introduction And Objectives: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had drastic effects on global healthcare with the UK amongst the countries most severely impacted. The aim of this study was to examine how COVID-19 challenged the neurosurgical delivery of care in a busy tertiary unit serving a socio-economically diverse population.

Methods: A prospective single-centre cohort study including all patients referred to the acute neurosurgical service or the subspecialty multidisciplinary teams (MDT) as well as all emergency and elective admissions during COVID-19 (18th March 2020-15th May 2020) compared to pre-COVID-19 (18th of January 2020-17th March 2020).

Survival and prognostic factors in childhood medulloblastoma: A Brazilian single center experience from 1995 to 2016.

Background: Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in the pediatric population. Despite prognosis improvement in the past two decades, one-third of the patients still remain incurable. New evidence suggests that medulloblastoma comprises four distinct entities; therefore, treatment de-escalation is required.

Olfactory function and Parkinson's disease in Southern Brazil.

Unlabelled: The idiopathic Parkinson disease (IPD) is traditionally diagnosed by motor signs, but non-motor symptoms and signs are frequent and may help in the clinical diagnosis.

Purpose: To evaluate the olfactory function in Brazilian healthy subjects, patients with early-onset PD (EOPD) and late-onset PD (LOPD) using the Sniffin' Sticks odor-identification test (SST).

Method: We studied 70 patients with IPD (19 EOPD and 51 LOPD) and 70 controls matched for gender, age and years of schooling.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of the microvascular density through the expression of TGF-beta (CD 105/endoglin) and CD 34 receptors and expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in oligodendrogliomas.

Angiogenesis has been proposed as essential for the growth of solid tumors. The determinants of this process, the growth factors and the vascular endothelial receptors have brought a potential in the tumor prognostic determination as well as perspectives of "targets" for antiangiogenic therapy. In oligodendrogliomas (OL), angiogenesis is little known and/or has generated conflicting results.

[Immunohistochemistry in oligodendrogliomas].

Oligodendrogliomas (OL) are neuroepithelial tumors characterized by the presence of uniformly round nuclei with a clear cytoplasm around it. These features can also be seen in central neurocytomas, DNTs and clear cell ependymomas. Immunohistochemistry with glial and neuronal markers may be helpful in differential diagnosis.